Asus Releasing Source Code Soon

[Antiloop]

today we've received the following answer from Asus regarding the GPL license

About GPL License, below is the answer.

We will follow up the GPL to release relate source code.
Follow the GPL, there are still some portion do not have to disclosure to protect our IPR.
It need a little time to distinguish the difference. We are working on this issue with our legal department.
After it is ready, we will put the source code in the ASUS support web site.
http://support.asus.com.tw

[Oleg]

That's great. Another thing which is really needed - recompiling of the entire firmware with uclibc, to reduce the size. They need to do this for non GPL code as well, just like the Linksys does, otherwise we're still will be forced to use glibc... Another thing is to update all of their kernel modules to 2.4.20 (especailly splink_led & parport_splink). I think if they do so many usb related problems will go away.

[hwsoft]

Originally posted by Oleg
Another thing which is really needed - recompiling of the entire firmware with uclibc, to reduce the size. They need to do this for non GPL code as well, just like the Linksys does, otherwise we're still will be forced to use glibc

Hey Oleg i have an idea. The glibc is need only for closed source wireless driver. Its possible, to make workaround, and in firmare we may put only wraper to glibc function which is need for this driver.

But best idea is make presure to AsusTek to public all source code. Unfortunately this be only may wish .

[Oleg]

Hmm, wireless driver (and all the kernel modules) does not require libc at all. But user mode applications require libc.
Anyway, if you know the the way to relink the existing applications to use uclibc - let me know.

[bramfm]

Originally posted by Oleg
That's great. Another thing which is really needed - recompiling of the entire firmware with uclibc, to reduce the size. They need to do this for non GPL code as well, just like the Linksys does, otherwise we're still will be forced to use glibc... Another thing is to update all of their kernel modules to 2.4.20 (especailly splink_led & parport_splink). I think if they do so many usb related problems will go away.

I think it will be wise to coordinate things before everyone is making his/her own firmware, and noboddy knows what is going on anymore. I think this forum can play an excellent role in this!

[Antiloop]

Originally posted by hwsoft
Hey Oleg i have an idea. The glibc is need only for closed source wireless driver. Its possible, to make workaround, and in firmare we may put only wraper to glibc function which is need for this driver.

But best idea is make presure to AsusTek to public all source code. Unfortunately this be only may wish .

yes according to the message, which came directly from one of my contactpersons in taiwan it's a dream that they will publish all of it

and i don't they are happy, that we 'users' are able to add thing to the router

regarding to the Asus SL500 and SL1000, this is probably only a firmware difference and some hardcoded(nvram?) settings
but the price differs! (and if i'm not right those 2 are running on linux too)

[Antiloop]

Originally posted by bramfm
I think it will be wise to coordinate things before everyone is making his/her own firmware, and noboddy knows what is going on anymore. I think this forum can play an excellent role in this!

yes you think the same as me..

at this moment a lot of people are trying to understand how the WL500g acts, loads, etc

i think we should decide if we are going to build a 'brand' new firmware
or if we are going to 'debug' the wl500g what logic(i don't think so) is behind storing things in nvram and what it's doing with it

i've been looking around for a long time in the scripts, but if you ask me IT'S A FUCKING MESS inside those scripts, and about the things stored in the nvram that's the same

i can remember, in one of the earlier firmwares sometimes things from the WL600 showed up in the setup (802.11A/B ADSL router if i''m not wrong)
the people who had already looked inside the scripts, should have noticed that there is a lot about 11a stuff to find
so it looks more that they changed the firmware from a WL600 into the WL500g/b and WL300g

at this moment i don't know what's best, probably rebuilding the firmware to it's current state but then perfectly working, and understandable, so you actually can add EASILY things to it..

after that you could create a BASIC Firmware that loads normal router default things
and people being able to add Modules for the things they need (SNMP, VPN server, Radius server etc etc.. and maybe the possibility to hook up a USB ADSL modem and use that as WAN, so people don't have to buy a Ethernet ADSL modem anymore)

[njs]

Originally posted by Antiloop
and maybe the possibility to hook up a USB ADSL modem and use that as WAN, so people don't have to buy a Ethernet ADSL modem anymore) [/B]

This would be AWESOME !!!
Any ideas on how to do it?

Nuno

[andru123]

Wait a minute. How did you conclude that they will release it SOON?
If based on the message above, I doubt it. Sorry for the pessimism, but I dont think they are relly eager to open the source.

Although very nice that somebody has caught them on violating GPL Good job!

[Antiloop]

Originally posted by andru123
Wait a minute. How did you conclude that they will release it SOON?
If based on the message above, I doubt it. Sorry for the pessimism, but I dont think they are relly eager to open the source.

Although very nice that somebody has caught them on violating GPL Good job!

we don't.. it tooks months to get this reply from asus, probably they did not know what was happening (with the gpl stuff) and they were not allowed to answer this thing ?

but we just don't know...

[RCR]

Originally posted by Antiloop

at this moment i don't know what's best, probably rebuilding the firmware to it's current state but then perfectly working, and understandable, so you actually can add EASILY things to it..

I agree. I would propose this priority:
[list=1][*]Documentation, etc. on how to re-create the Asus firmware. To include how to set up your toolchain, how to build, how to install.[*]Changes based on Asus source, distributed via CVS or as patches to Asus source[*]Conversion of Asus firmware to uLibC, other changes to reduce size.[*]New features, structured so users can pick which ones to build and not have to always include them all.[/list=1]